ChapterVIII。
WhenIoncemoreawokeIsawbymybed—sidethechildwhohadbroughttheropeandgrappling—hookstothehouseinwhichI
hadbeenfirstreceived，andwhich，asIafterwardslearned，wastheresidenceofthechiefmagistrateofthetribe。Thechild，whosenamewasTaee（pronouncedTar—ee），wasthemagistrate’seldestson。IfoundthatduringmylastsleeportranceIhadmadestillgreateradvanceinthelanguageofthecountry，andcouldconversewithcomparativeeaseandfluency。
Thischildwassingularlyhandsome，evenforthebeautifulracetowhichhebelonged，withacountenanceverymanlyinaspectforhisyears，andwithamorevivaciousandenergeticexpressionthanIhadhithertoseeninthesereneandpassionlessfacesofthemen。HebroughtmethetabletonwhichIhaddrawnthemodeofmydescent，andhadalsosketchedtheheadofthehorriblereptilethathadscaredmefrommyfriend’scorpse。Pointingtothatpartofthedrawing，Taeeput31tomeafewquestionsrespectingthesizeandformofthemonster，andthecaveorchasmfromwhichithademerged。Hisinterestinmyanswersseemedsograveastodiverthimforawhilefromanycuriosityastomyselformyantecedents。Buttomygreatembarrassment，seeinghowIwaspledgedtomyhost，hewasjustbeginningtoaskmewhereIcamefrom，whenZee，fortunatelyentered，and，overhearinghim，said，\"Taee，givetoourguestanyinformationhemaydesire，butasknonefromhiminreturn。Toquestionhimwhoheis，whencehecomes，orwhereforeheishere，wouldbeabreachofthelawwhichmyfatherhaslaiddowninthishouse。\"
\"Sobeit，\"saidTaee，pressinghishandtohisbreast;andfromthatmoment，tilltheoneinwhichIsawhimlast，thischild，withwhomIbecameveryintimate，neveronceputtomeanyofthequestionsthusinterdicted。